U.S. to send dozens of special forces to Syria as advisors. Your thoughts?

2015-10-30T14:06:53-04:00

The United States will deploy dozens of special operations troops to northern Syria from next month to advise opposition forces in their fight against Islamic State, a major policy shift for President Barack Obama and a step he has long resisted to avoid getting dragged into another war in the Middle East.

The planned deployment, along with the U.S. decision this week to include Iran in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, represents the biggest change in the United States' Syria policy since it began a bombing campaign against Islamic State targets there in September 2014.

Announcing the measure on Friday, the White House said the troops would be on a mission to "train, advise and assist" and would number fewer than 50. Spokesman Josh Earnest declined to give details about their exact role.

The decision by Obama, deeply averse to committing troops to unpopular wars in the Middle East, would mark the first sustained U.S. troop presence in Syria and raise the risk of American casualties, although U.S. officials stressed the forces were not meant to engage in front-line combat.

"This is a dangerous place on the globe and they are at risk, and there's no denying that," said Earnest, who repeatedly rejected the idea that the deployment would constitute a ground combat mission, which Obama has long rejected as a solution in Syria.

Earnest said the new mission in Syria was open ended and did not rule out the possibility of sending additional special forces troops into Iraq. Obama spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Friday about the fight against Islamic State, Earnest said.

The Obama administration is under pressure to ramp up America's effort against Islamic State, particularly after the militant group captured the Iraqi city of Ramadi in May and following the failure of a U.S. military program to train and arm thousands of Syrian rebels.

The planned deployment adds to an increasingly volatile conflict in Syria, where Russia and Iran have increased up their military support for President Bashar al-Assad's fight against rebels in the four-and-a-half year civil war.

Russia said when it began air strikes last month that it would also target the Islamic State militant group, but its planes have hit other rebel groups opposed to Assad, including groups backed by Washington.

The decision to send U.S. special forces to Syria will put U.S. forces "in harm's way," U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday, adding he did not rule out the possibility of further special forces deployments to Syria.

This month a U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq participating in a Kurdish-led mission to rescue Islamic State hostages.

He we go again , they are calling the Troops "Advisers." Where have we heard that before?

In policy shift, Obama to send U.S. special forces to Syria

Response by SGT David T. made Oct 30 at 2015 2:25 PM

2015-10-30T14:25:14-04:00

Weren't they already there?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 30 at 2015 2:49 PM

2015-10-30T14:49:20-04:00

The big boys are ISIS and Assad. I really don't know how relevant we are in Syria.

Response by SFC Craig Dalen made Oct 30 at 2015 3:42 PM

2015-10-30T15:42:59-04:00

We have had enough boots on the ground. When is it up to someone else to be responsible for themselves. At some point there needs to be personal accountability for one's self. We will eventually run ourselves into the ground with nothing to show for it because we will never be appreciated for our efforts.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Oct 30 at 2015 4:10 PM

2015-10-30T16:10:51-04:00

I would be for it IF I thought that we were actually going to do the job this time but we won't. We will send a few people over there to get killed and make them use rules of engagement that guarantee that they can't do shit. I don't care if it is a war or a street fight if you aren't going to do whatever is necessary to win you need to just go sit on your ass and have a beer somewhere.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Oct 30 at 2015 4:34 PM

2015-10-30T16:34:54-04:00

Sgt David G Duchesneau Question? Will the ROEs be in a clear gaseous state in a glass bottle that no one can see or comprehend?

Response by LCpl Rickey White made Oct 30 at 2015 5:32 PM

2015-10-30T17:32:34-04:00

I wish I was young again, I would be first to volunteer.

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made Oct 30 at 2015 5:34 PM

2015-10-30T17:34:26-04:00

Heard that one way too often. It means someone is getting ready to start a new war front.

Response by LTC Marc King made Oct 30 at 2015 5:58 PM

2015-10-30T17:58:37-04:00

U.S. officials disclosed plans on Friday to station the first American boots on the ground in Syria in the war against Islamic State fighters, saying dozens of special forces would be sent as advisers to groups fighting against the jihadists." Great! Why not publish when their aircraft will arrive on the end of runway so the ISIS fighters can get properly set up for a rousing arrival. Perhaps an open house at the FOB after it is established -- talking never hurts... This CinC and his staff makes the Gang That Could Not Shoot Straight look like an Olympic Marksmanship Team. Call them Advisors -- I don't care what you call them as long as you don't call the enemy and announce their arrival -- Opps to late. I am surprised they did not text Osama before the raid with a text that said "You Gonna Die in exactly 12 hours or as soon as we can land in your compound!" We have now announced they are coming in -- we better have a great plan for getting them out incase all hell breaks lose. And how are you going to keep the Russians from hitting them since they will be advising the very fighters that the Russians keep bombing on behalf of Assad.
What ever happened to operational secrecy. Eisenhower, Bradly and Patton must be spinning....

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2015 6:16 PM

2015-10-30T18:16:55-04:00

Silly if you thought we weren't already on ground...

Response by SPC Nathan Freeman made Oct 30 at 2015 6:27 PM

2015-10-30T18:27:08-04:00

Probably an ill advised plan. Too little too late. It seems we are more concerned about Russia than ISIS

Response by CPT Craig Church, ASLA, LEED GA made Oct 30 at 2015 7:02 PM

2015-10-30T19:02:47-04:00

I think I have been stating from long ago that this is the best course of action against these thugs and losers. They are no competition against fully trained Special Forces troops weather they are trainers, advisors, or fighters. We need to surgically eliminate these bums from the planet without a full military commitment to anyone.

Response by MSgt Erik Copp made Oct 30 at 2015 7:30 PM

2015-10-30T19:30:02-04:00

Newsflash... They are already there and have been for quite some time. Of course most of us on here know that already.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Oct 30 at 2015 8:43 PM

2015-10-30T20:43:59-04:00

Has President Obama secured permission from Putin? The Russians have already proclaimed that Syria will not allow (that is, of course, Putin will not allow) foreign fighters to come unless invited. Will President Obama send the troops if Putin says no? No, I don't have the answers. I'm simply getting the beer and pretzels ready and pulling up my favorite lounge chair, and getting ready to enjoy the show...

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2015 4:24 AM

2015-10-31T04:24:05-04:00

This is how these things start, with a few "advisors".
If we were going to do this, we are about three years too late. It will take a hell of a lot more than 50 SF muldoons and four sorties a day to unscrew the tire fire that is Syria.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2015 11:19 AM

2015-10-31T11:19:41-04:00

This is an international statement, which I'm surprised it took this long. Some ways I can see why it did, but now, I'm afraid of what this will drag on to be.

Response by MSgt Stephan Hall made Oct 31 at 2015 11:25 AM

2015-10-31T11:25:37-04:00

I believe the President is sending 50 soldiers to their Death.

Response by SA Mason Bradfield made Oct 31 at 2015 11:25 AM

2015-10-31T11:25:44-04:00

Air controllers I would guess.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Nov 1 at 2015 2:11 AM

2015-11-01T02:11:41-05:00

Sgt David G Duchesneau - Sergeant; I can hardly wait to hear all the "conservatives" who have been demanding this type of action (believing that President Obama wouldn't take these steps) to start condemning him for "sending American boys into danger on a useless mission".

Response by COL Ted Mc made Nov 1 at 2015 1:52 PM

2015-11-01T13:52:33-05:00

Sgt David G Duchesneau - Sergeant; It wouldn't have been so bad if ALL they had done was disclose plans to send some Special Forces troops to Syria - after all ISIS would know that they were there within hours of their actual arrival.

The BIGGER problem is that they also disclosed what the Pentagon was planning to do in the future.

I don't really expect that the media will fully understand the concept of OpSec, but I DO expect that military "leaders" will.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/10/28/pentagon-outlines-its-3-rs-islamic-state-strategy?int=96e208

Response by MSgt Daniel Attilio made Nov 1 at 2015 3:22 PM

2015-11-01T15:22:29-05:00

It has been a long time since I've read the various books/articles/studies that come to mind but here I go. Sending "advisors" sounds very much like the initial stages of involvement in Southeast Asia where those advisors continued to become more involved than initially anticipated. The involvement then creeped into expanded forces and the Vietnam War. Additionally, the attempt to train and equip with expectations of self (whatever country we're talking about) to assume responsibility and control their environment sounds very much like Vietnamization.
This was before my time and I could be off base. Or are we blind to our own lessons in history?

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Nov 1 at 2015 7:15 PM

2015-11-01T19:15:15-05:00

Our Troop Advisers is just being put in harm way let the Syrians fend for themselves, if they truly tired of their situation they will fight like a cat trapped in a corner.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Nov 1 at 2015 7:29 PM

2015-11-01T19:29:58-05:00

As long as they are non-combat troops. (sarcasm)

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Nov 1 at 2015 8:53 PM

2015-11-01T20:53:10-05:00

Too little, too late.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Nov 2 at 2015 3:48 AM

2015-11-02T03:48:45-05:00

Sooo, our Nobel Peace Prize winning laureate pulls out of Iraq prematurely creating ISIS and claims victory for ending a war that GW started (never mind Saddam invading Kuwait or the WTC that was knocked down), and now he wants to send SF advisors? Do they provide their own security or is he setting them up to be in the next ISIS videos?

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2015 7:07 AM

2015-11-02T07:07:24-05:00

... now ... I hope they don't get bombed by Russian ....

Response by PV2 Scott Goodpasture made Nov 2 at 2015 11:07 AM

2015-11-02T11:07:10-05:00

Too little too late

Response by CW3 Jim Norris made Nov 2 at 2015 11:07 AM

2015-11-02T11:07:54-05:00

50 well trained and supported operators can make a real difference. 50 well trained and isolated operators become dead bodies quickly. Which will it be? Under Obama, I fear the latter. Why not take a heavily support brigade sized element and go kill the bastards and keep killing them until ISIS is a word no one will say? We now have us supporting rebels to Assad, the Soviets bombing the rebels we support. ISIS owning 1/3 of Iraq and a piece of Syria (which the Russians [my age is showing by first calling them Soviets - but hey a duck by any other name is still a duck.....]are not bombing). Assad killing boat loads of civilians every week. Tens of thousands of muslims invading Europe. Now that ISIS has established it's Caliphate - we have a nation/state to declare war on in congress and then just go do what we do best - kill the bastards - all of them. Then stand back up Iraq - and patrol the streets like we did for over 20 years in Germany after WWII. Finally yes, take their damn oil to pay for the whole shooting match, once the bill is paid they can have it back.

The idea that some how we lack the ability to subdue Assad, ISIS and the other muslim nut-jobs is a kin to saying that we didn't stand a chance against the unholy alliance of Germany, Japan and Italy.....well, I suppose if you try and fight a limited engagement at Omaha and Iwo Jima, one where your first goal is to limit civilian casualties rather than kicking the other guys ass - you might be right. But, roll over them like the pieces of human debris that ANYONE supporting ISIS is and it's very, very doable. Back to the 50 operators - God Bless and Keep Them, for our president will assuredly not.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Nov 2 at 2015 11:44 AM

2015-11-02T11:44:05-05:00

http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/11/drones-syria-serving-strictly-advisory-role/?utm_source=Duffel+Blog+Fans&utm_campaign=2198f3eb20-Duffel_Blog_Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6d392bc034-2198f3eb20-23803917&goal=0_6d392bc034-2198f3eb20-23803917&mc_cid=2198f3eb20&mc_eid=a900ecfa17

Drones In Syria 'Serving Strictly In An Advisory Role'

"Do you expect us to talk?" "No, Mr. ISIS, we expect you to die!"